RESUMO
Metabolic effects of high diet acid load (DAL) have been studied for years in adults, although only recently in children. Contemporary diets, especially those of Western societies, owe their acidogenic effect to high animal-origin protein content and low contribution of base-forming elements, such as fruits and vegetables. This imbalance, where dietary acid precursors exceed the body's buffering capacity, results in an acid-retaining state known by terms such as "eubicarbonatemic metabolic acidosis," "low-grade metabolic acidosis," "subclinical acidosis," or "acid stress". Its consequences have been linked to chronic systemic inflammation, contributing to various noncommunicable diseases traditionally considered more common in adulthood, but now have been recognized to originate at much earlier ages. In children, effects of high DAL are not limited to growth impairment caused by alterations of bone and muscle metabolism, but also represent a risk factor for conditions such as obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension, urolithiasis, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The possibility that high DAL may be a cause of chronic acid-retaining states in children with growth impairment should alert pediatricians and pediatric nephrologists, since its causes have been attributed traditionally to inborn errors of metabolism and renal pathologies such as CKD and renal tubular acidosis. The interplay between DAL, overall diet quality, and its cascading effects on children's health necessitates comprehensive nutritional assessments and interventions. This narrative review explores the clinical relevance of diet-induced acid retention in children and highlights the potential for prevention through dietary modifications, particularly by increasing fruit and vegetable intake alongside appropriate protein consumption.
RESUMO
La decisión de hospitalizar o no un niño con Infección Urinaria (IU) no debe sustentarse de forma exclusiva en el diagnóstico de pielonefritis aguda, ya que estudios recientes han mostrado que en los pacientes con buen estado general y, sin antecedentes de uropatía importante, el tratamiento ambulatorio con antibióticos por vía oral es eficaz y seguro. Por ello, la decisión de ingreso se debe basar fundamentalmente en la valoración de la situación clínica del paciente y el riesgo estimado de complicaciones generales. En esta revisión se evalúa la eficacia y seguridad de los antibióticos que se utilizan para tratar pielonefritis aguda en niños que requieren ser hospitalizados, se especifican los agentes antibióticos óptimos, así como la vía de administración y la duración del tratamiento adecuadas para este grupo de pacientes. Asimismo, se revisan los aspectos particulares de la IU en el neonato, debido a las características especiales del sistema inmune en este grupo de edad.
The decision to hospitalize a child with urinary tract infection should not rely exclusively on the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis, for recent studies have demonstrated that ambulatory treatment with oral antibiotics is safe and efficient in patients with good general status and no history of urological abnormalities. For this reason, the decision to admit the patient should be based on the assessment of clinical conditions and the estimated risk of general complications. This review evaluates the efficiency and safety of antibiotics employed in children with acute pyelonephritis who require hospitalization, specifies the appropriate antibiotics, as well as the route and length of the treatment. Particular aspects of urinary tract infection in the newborn due to the special characteristics of the immune system at this age are also reviewed.